Rumors surrounding Domino's may present false image

National pizza chain denies allegations of endorsement Operation Rescue

Do you become what you eat? Probably not. In light of the recent controversy surrounding the Domino's Pizza Corp., one might be led to think that people do, in fact, believe this cliché, which could not be further from the truth.

For nearly a decade, the same Domino's Pizza Corp, whose commercials make your taste buds sweat has been accused of endorsing the pro-life organization Operation Rescue.

A phone call to the Domino's headquarters in Ann Arbor cleared the air regarding this situation. The company explained that it is "a vicious rumor."

KEVIN KRUPITZER/Daily Rumors about Domino's Corp. may have deterred some customers.

The controversy started in 1988. Tom Monaghan, the president and founder of Domino's Pizza Corp. was approached to support a referendum to get a measure on the Michigan voting ballot asking voters to decide whether they wanted their tax money to pay for Medicaid sponsored abortions.

A devout Catholic, Monaghan made a personal donation out of "his own pocket" to this group so that the public would be able to decide whether it wanted its tax money to go to such a measure.

Word of this action spread, and the story was not immune to people's gossip.

Soon, the entire Domino's Corp. was accused of endorsing Operation Rescue. For years, it received letters from angry customers and earned the reputation of supporting this cause.

The situation escalated to its peak when the Generation-X documentary "Reality Bites" hit theaters in 1993 and made an allusion to the rumor.

This, in addition to the previous accusations, led to the widespread rumor that Domino's supported the Operation Rescue cause. The corporation tried to sue the movie and get the scene taken out.

Attorneys for Domino's, however, advised that the the company had no solid legal case because the reference in the movie was posed as a question and not as a statement.

The company never made a public statement regarding the issue, hoping people might see the absurdity of the idea that an operation as large as Domino's would not take such a political stance.

This rumor is especially prevalent in Ann Arbor because Domino's main headquarters makes its abode here.

Many were unaware of the situation and had no idea about the controversy surrounding this international pizza powerhouse.

Like many students, Rupal Shah, a first-year LSA student, was unaware. "It amazes me how quickly people will believe anything they hear without taking the time to research the actual facts and then spread it to other people until it turns into a huge controversy," she said.

Monaghan was disillusioned by the situation. He firmly believes that every large corporation(including Domino's) is "comprised of many people, with many different beliefs and views on issues," Tim McIntyre, the Vice President of Communications at Domino's headquarters said.

"We don't make political statements," he said, "It's ridiculous."

Nevertheless, McIntyre still asserted that Domino's Corp. is determined to continue to produce fine cuisine in light of the recent scandal. He proudly boasted, "We are united to sell pizza."

09-25-97